A colleague and I were discussing Jackie Chan movies the other day at work and I mentioned that there are Chinese weapons forms involving fighting with a small bench (as an example of unusual weapons). Does anyone know of any links to pictures of video clips of such techniques that I might show him?
Bench Techniques?
- Thread starter arnisador
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TLH3rdDan
Guest
yeah ive heard of it and there are forms that are done with them both single and partner forms... you should look for Horse Bench thats what the bench is called im not sure what the chinese translation is or where you could actually find clips of it but if you look at some of the old kung fu movies.. you know the ones with the bad dubbing that they used to show on saturday mornings you should be able to find them in use sorry i cant be of any more help
F
Furious George
Guest
A young guy won an advanced forms-division at the TigerBalm 2003 tournament with a horse-bench form. A fun set to watch - at one point he spins it almost like nunchaku, and slams it down on the ground quite a bit. Also some monkey-lookin' side kicks while braced against the bench. AFAIK those little benches are/were quite a common site in the tea-houses and markets in northern China.
I will ask my Sifu about the form and see if he knows what styles it is common to. I love the exotic, bizarre weapons.
ps: sorry to revive all these dead threads...got a little time on my hands today
I will ask my Sifu about the form and see if he knows what styles it is common to. I love the exotic, bizarre weapons.
ps: sorry to revive all these dead threads...got a little time on my hands today
F
Furious George
Guest
GM Doc-Fai Wong with a horse-bench:
F
Furious George
Guest
more...
F
Furious George
Guest
"The horse bench and hoe are just as effective as the professional martial artists sword and spear."
"Although considered lowly farmers' weapons, the horse bench and hoe are just as effective as the professional martial artists' sword and spear," explains (Grandmaster Doc-Fai) Wong.
Horse Bench
Often considered no more than a resting place for the tired, the Chinese horse bench, or cheong kiu dang, is actually a powerful weapon that even has applications in today's sometimes dangerous society.
The horse bench was shaped like the common sawhorse. It had a flat board on top where it was used as a seat. The bench was approximately two feet tall and four-to-five feet in length - longer than today's sawhorse. The flat top board was between six-to-eight inches wide.
Horse benches were used in every day restaurants and homes, in place of more expensive chairs. Of course, when fights broke out at eating and drinking establishments, horse benches were among the first items used as weapons.
Although not as long as a staff or spear, the horse bench is still classified as a long weapon in Chinese martial arts, because the heavy bench is usually held with both hands. Also, most of the techniques are double-ended staff movements, caused by twisting the waist and generating striking power alternately with both ends of the bench.
There are also overhead strikes that use the bench as a downward striking or pressing weapon. Featured are low sweeping actions that instantly take the opponent off balance and down to the ground, where he falls prey to the horse bench's downward hammer-like blow.
Working the Bench
Common bench techniques are left and right jabs made with either end. Again, the weapon is held with both hands while making these attacks to steady its weight and somewhat spread-out construction. Sometimes the leg portion of one end can be used either to trap other weapons or as an uppercut blow to an opponent.
Some horse bench techniques feature the weapon being held in only one hand. In one instance, the choy li fut practitioner holds the upper part of one of the bench's legs and either swings the bench above his head to block other attacking weapons, or sweeps the bench low to attack an opponent's legs in a sweeping motion.
As a defensive weapon, the horse bench could be used for overhead blocks, lower blocks and side-to-side blocking actions. There are even horse bench techniques that mimic human kicks, where the stylist holds one leg of the weapon in one hand and strikes forward with an underhand blow to the opponent's midsection.
In today's world, an altercation in a restaurant or bar might lead someone to defend himself with a chair using horse bench techniques. However, the horse bench's real value is as a training weapon. Since it is a heavy weapon (15-to-20 pounds), it is often used in Wong's schools to build strength and stamina through weight training as students practice the horse bench form. At the same time its use improves the practitioner's balance and coordination.
Wong maintains that before attempting serious horse bench practice, you should strengthen your wrists and fingers. If they are not strong enough you can easily sprain or strain them. Lifting exercises, where you lift weights or even jars filled with sand or dirt, are excellent ways to condition your wrists and hands.
...more:
click here for scans of the full article with photos:
:asian:
"Although considered lowly farmers' weapons, the horse bench and hoe are just as effective as the professional martial artists' sword and spear," explains (Grandmaster Doc-Fai) Wong.
Horse Bench
Often considered no more than a resting place for the tired, the Chinese horse bench, or cheong kiu dang, is actually a powerful weapon that even has applications in today's sometimes dangerous society.
The horse bench was shaped like the common sawhorse. It had a flat board on top where it was used as a seat. The bench was approximately two feet tall and four-to-five feet in length - longer than today's sawhorse. The flat top board was between six-to-eight inches wide.
Horse benches were used in every day restaurants and homes, in place of more expensive chairs. Of course, when fights broke out at eating and drinking establishments, horse benches were among the first items used as weapons.
Although not as long as a staff or spear, the horse bench is still classified as a long weapon in Chinese martial arts, because the heavy bench is usually held with both hands. Also, most of the techniques are double-ended staff movements, caused by twisting the waist and generating striking power alternately with both ends of the bench.
There are also overhead strikes that use the bench as a downward striking or pressing weapon. Featured are low sweeping actions that instantly take the opponent off balance and down to the ground, where he falls prey to the horse bench's downward hammer-like blow.
Working the Bench
Common bench techniques are left and right jabs made with either end. Again, the weapon is held with both hands while making these attacks to steady its weight and somewhat spread-out construction. Sometimes the leg portion of one end can be used either to trap other weapons or as an uppercut blow to an opponent.
Some horse bench techniques feature the weapon being held in only one hand. In one instance, the choy li fut practitioner holds the upper part of one of the bench's legs and either swings the bench above his head to block other attacking weapons, or sweeps the bench low to attack an opponent's legs in a sweeping motion.
As a defensive weapon, the horse bench could be used for overhead blocks, lower blocks and side-to-side blocking actions. There are even horse bench techniques that mimic human kicks, where the stylist holds one leg of the weapon in one hand and strikes forward with an underhand blow to the opponent's midsection.
In today's world, an altercation in a restaurant or bar might lead someone to defend himself with a chair using horse bench techniques. However, the horse bench's real value is as a training weapon. Since it is a heavy weapon (15-to-20 pounds), it is often used in Wong's schools to build strength and stamina through weight training as students practice the horse bench form. At the same time its use improves the practitioner's balance and coordination.
Wong maintains that before attempting serious horse bench practice, you should strengthen your wrists and fingers. If they are not strong enough you can easily sprain or strain them. Lifting exercises, where you lift weights or even jars filled with sand or dirt, are excellent ways to condition your wrists and hands.
...more:
click here for scans of the full article with photos:
:asian:
F
Furious George
Guest
Here is an article from Blackbelt Magazine's archives about the Horse Bench - includes a bit of history, and several techniques with photosets:
The Horse Bench
:asian:
